The `` Three Amigos '' -- or , as they 're more formally known , the leaders of the United States , Canada and Mexico -- announced an agreement Wednesday to work on a plan to streamline trade and travel , including border controls among the countries .

U.S. President Barack Obama , Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto agreed to streamline border controls to facilitate the movement of people through the establishment of a trusted traveler program .

They also spent a great deal of time during the North American Leaders ' Summit discussing efforts to broker a new trade agreement with Pacific nations , they said in a joint news conference after the summit in Toluca , Mexico .

Obama has called for `` fast-track '' trade authority from Congress for him to pursue the so-called Trans-Pacific Partnership , a massive free-trade zone .

But members of his own party , including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , have voiced firm opposition to such authority .

Republicans seized on Vice President Joe Biden 's reported comments at last week 's House Democratic retreat in Maryland . There , he was heard conceding the trade issue was quickly becoming a source of frustration within the party , especially among labor groups that are key to midterms next fall .

`` The jobs they seem to care about most are Democrats in Congress -- not families across the country eager to join the ranks of the employed , '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement .

Senior Obama administration officials played down reports about Biden 's comments as coming from `` second-hand accounts . '' But , they added , the White House remains firmly committed to its trade agenda .

`` It would not be in the interest of the United States to put this on the back burner , '' one official said .

White House spokesman Jay Carney insists that differences among Democrats over trade issues date back several administrations .

`` The differing opinions on these matters are not new , and the fact that there are differing opinions within both parties is not new , '' Carney said Tuesday .

Another area of friendly disagreement for the `` Three Amigos '' is over the Obama administration 's handling of the Keystone XL pipeline .

Canadian officials have grown impatient with the lengthy approval process in the United States for the contested project , which would transport oil from Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico .

While a recent State Department environmental impact study appeared to brighten prospects for approval , senior administration officials indicated Harper is not likely to receive the news many in his nation want to hear during the summit .

`` I think what President Obama will do is explain to him where we are in the review of the Keystone pipeline , and indicate that we 'll , of course , let our Canadian friends know when we 've arrived at a decision , '' a senior administration official said .

The Keystone project has also divided Democrats , namely environmentalists who see the pipeline as a symbolic battle in the larger fight over efforts to deal with climate change .

While in Mexico , Obama faced another delicate balancing act over the issue of immigration reform .

The plight of undocumented immigrants in the United States , notably the substantial number of migrants who crossed the border from Mexico , is a major political issue south of the Rio Grande .

Latino special interest groups , a core Democratic Party constituency , have criticized the administration for its aggressive deportation policy as it struggles to find a long-term solution to the immigration issue .

Senior administration officials told reporters last week that Obama remains committed to comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers .

But that legislative priority has hit a roadblock in Congress , where Republican leaders have indicated there is little hope for a breakthrough this year before the midterms .

`` With respect to immigration , I think President Peña Nieto has a very good understanding , frankly , of the state of play in the United States , '' a senior administration official said .

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Three nations will streamline border controls

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The three leaders are called the `` Three Amigos ''

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The Keystone XL pipeline is a major issue